Stronger than Me
by Zana Zira
Summary: When a tragic turn of events threatens to tear apart the fabric of Tifa's family, she is suddenly forced to face a life filled with loneliness and regret. Little does she know there is someone willing to do whatever it takes to make her happy, and he has been hidden in plain sight for a lot longer than she knew... Some Cloud/Tifa and eventual Tifa/Rude. Review, pretty please!
1. The Choices We Make

It was nearly three in the morning when Tifa heard the door to Seventh Heaven creak open downstairs. She held her breath and listened, waiting for the familiar sound of Cloud making his way into the house. She bit her lip and clasped her hands in her lap, sitting up on the bed and trying to calm her racing heart. Tifa hadn't slept well in days – not since she had found out something that she was sure Cloud wasn't going to take well. She had left Denzel and Marlene with Barret just in case the discussion got ugly – she didn't want them around to hear that if it did.

Even though the two of them had only been in an "official" relationship for a few months, it was already becoming strained. When he had finally agreed to become her boyfriend, she had thought he might start staying around more, or at least answer his phone for her once in a while. But of course he had done none of those things. He was still the same old Cloud, and nothing about their relationship seemed to have changed at all other than the times he slept with her when he was around. Tifa had recently begun to doubt whether he really cared about her and the children at all. Was she nothing to him but a babysitter and a bedmate? She honestly hoped not, but it was really beginning to seem that way.

What worried her more was how distant he was becoming from the children. While Cloud had never been especially warm and nurturing, he had always at least spent time with Marlene and Denzel when he was home. Now, though, he was becoming more withdrawn than he had been during the Stigma outbreak two years ago. She had no idea what was bothering him, but even the children had noticed his decreased interest in them, and that was something Tifa wouldn't stand for. It wasn't fair for him to make them suffer for his problems. It was obvious they missed him and needed a father figure in their lives, but they definitely weren't getting one in Cloud. More often than not, it would fall to Barret or sometimes even Vincent to step in when Cloud would not, and Tifa was getting tired of it. Well, tonight would decide whether she was right in thinking he didn't feel responsible for them anymore.

A few tense seconds of silence passed before she heard his heavy combat boots clomping up the stairs toward the bedroom she shared with him – when he was around to share it with, that is. A moment later the door swung open and he stepped inside, his mako-infused eyes glowing softly in the dim light. He looked exhausted and worried, and his bloodshot eyes had large gray circles under them that made him look almost ill.

"Cloud, what's wr–"

"Tifa, we need to talk."

Tifa's eyes widened slightly, and she felt her heart begin to race with fear. She steeled her gaze and looked Cloud in the eyes, standing from the bed and approaching him slowly. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, but he turned his head and pulled away. She released him immediately, her face impassive.

"Cloud?"

"Tifa," he began hesitantly. "I know I haven't been around much lately, but I just got another big list of deliveries I need to take care of. I hate doing this to you, but this is too good an opportunity to pass up." Tifa's heart dropped into her stomach, and she sighed softly before speaking to him again.

"Cloud, I need you to be honest with me right now," she said quietly. His full attention was on her now.

"What do you mean? Aren't I always –"

"Do you like being away from me for so long all the time?"

"That's… It's something I have to do. You know that." Cloud's mouth was pulled into a taught line now, and his eyes were wide with something akin to fear.

"Why? Why is it something you have to do?"

"I need to provide for you and the kids."

"There are plenty of other jobs available closer to home that pay better. You could help out at the bar any time you want, too."

"Tifa, you don't unders–"

"What?! What don't I understand?!" Tifa shouted, feeling tears beginning to prick at her eyes. "What makes you stay away for weeks at a time without answering a single phone call or letting me know you're okay? What kept you from coming to Denzel when one of his friends got hurt and I couldn't comfort him because I was working two shifts at the bar? What made you forget about Marlene's birthday party and leave me to explain why you couldn't be there? Why don't you ever want to spend time with us when we need you? What about all of that that don't I understand?!"

"Tifa…" Cloud said softly, his eyes full of hurt as he reached for her hand. She jerked it away, pulling it tight against her body. "Why are you so angry all of a sudden? What did I say?"

"I'm pregnant, Cloud."

"Wh… You're…?" He looked at her for a few moments with wide eyes, seeming to try to decide whether she was lying or not. Then, just as suddenly, he stepped back from her, crossing his arms in front of his chest and staring blankly at her. "Is it mine?"

He was sprawled on the floor in an instant, a red impression of a handprint marring the pale skin on his cheek. He stared blankly up at Tifa, watching as she shook with anger and fought to keep the tears from spilling over her eyes.

"How can you even ask me that?" she whispered furiously, her hands balled into shaking fists at her sides. "Of course it's yours. I'm not involved with anyone else and you know it."

"It wouldn't surprise me if you were with how often I'm gone."

"Well whose fault is that?! It's not as if I'm _asking_ you to go on month-long delivery chains and leave me here alone to hold everything together! You always decide _that_ on your own!"

"I just… I need time to think…"

"Well you need to think about your family, Cloud! I can't keep doing this alone; it's just too much. I know you hate being alone, so why do you keep pushing us away? What's so wrong with us that you can't stand to stay around?"

"I don't know. It's not that I don't love you, I just…"

"You just don't care enough to prove it to me."

"Tifa, that's not fair –"

"No, what's not fair is the way you go driving off around the continent alone and leave me with two children and a bar to take care of. I'm just one person, Cloud!"

"Tifa, I… Are you sure you're pregnant?"

"One hundred percent sure."

Cloud seemed to forget how to breathe for a second, his eyes widening to an enormous size as he stared up at the ceiling and ran his hands through his hair.

"I can't… I can't do this… Not now, I just can't…"

"Cloud, pull yourself together!" Tifa snapped, putting her hands on his shoulders. "You had a part in this as much as I did, and whether you like it or not, there's another one on the way that is one hundred percent yours. I told you hoping you'd be a mature adult and realize that you have responsibilities to your family, but obviously that was too much to expect."

"Tifa, I didn't ask for this."

"And you think I did?!" she screamed, the tears finally running down her face in earnest. "You insensitive jerk! What makes you think I wanted this to happen any more than you did? But it doesn't matter what I wanted or didn't want, because _I'm_ the one stuck with the results no matter what! But you go ahead and leave and forget all of this ever happened, and drop in on me once in a while to make sure I haven't died of exhaustion. I'll manage without you, just like I always do. And like I always have." Cloud glared daggers at her and tightened the straps of his scabbard, stepping toward the door as he did so. "Where are you going?"

"I need time to think."

"No, Cloud, don't leave again already. You need to face this like a man. Quit running away every time things get tough!" Cloud shook his head, striding out of the room and down the stairs with Tifa hot on his heels. Before long, he reached the front door and began turning the handle. "Cloud, you'd better rethink this before you walk out of that door. I'm really starting to lose my patience with you."

"I have to go, Tifa."

With that, he stepped out of the door, leaving Tifa standing alone in the dark interior of the bar while she watched him walk toward Fenrir.

"Cloud Strife, if you don't come back this instant then don't bother coming back at all!"

Cloud looked back at her a moment, his face betraying conflicted emotions, before turning the key in Fenrir and speeding away from Seventh Heaven. Tifa suddenly felt her knees weaken and slid to the floor, using the doorframe to prop herself up.

"So that's your decision," she murmured through her quiet sobs. "Goodbye, Cloud…"

**Author's Note: This story is going to be a lot moodier than my usual fare, so get your tissues ready. Also, please drop a review and let me know what you think of this so far. Angst is sort of a new genre for me, so I'd love to know if it's any good or not. Thanks for reading, and I'll try to update soon!**


	2. Guidance

Cloud barely noticed where he was going as Fenrir sped away from Seventh Heaven. He didn't really care where he ended up; all he knew was he had to run, had to get away before he hurt Tifa even more than he knew he already had. His spiky blond hair blew back in the wind and he inhaled a deep breath of the cold February air, letting it out as a soft sigh. He hated himself for the way he had responded to the news that he was going to be a father. It had to have been hard for her to tell him – she had probably agonized over it for days. Leave it to him to screw up and hurt her over something that should have made him happy.

But _should_ was the key word. He wanted to be happy about it, he truly did, but he just couldn't imagine himself with a baby – with _his_ baby. He cared deeply for Marlene and Denzel, but they were much older and had had much of the tough parenting of their younger years done by someone else. And, truthfully, it was still Tifa or Barret who did a lot of the work with them now. Cloud was almost never home, and when he was he was so busy organizing his next delivery run or catching up on all the sleep he had missed that he barely spent any time with them anymore. It killed him inside to see how much he was hurting Tifa and the children with his constant absence, but he didn't know what he could do about it. He was making ends meet in the best way he knew, but was it worth the rift it was causing between him and his family?

Lost in his feelings of confusion and hopelessness, Cloud was moving almost on autopilot when he parked Fenrir in front of the old church in the Sector Six slums. His boots scraped quietly against the rubble-littered asphalt as he made his way toward the old oaken doors and pushed them open. The place was as still and peaceful as it had always been, with a light layer of dust covering the pews and floor and the familiar cream-and-gold lilies floating in the pool where the garden had once been. Zack's Buster Sword was resting just behind the lily pond, standing guard over Aerith's church even now.

Cloud immediately felt something in his heart lift when he set foot in this place again. If anyone could tell him what to do, it would be Zack and Aerith. Kneeling down in front of the lily pond, Cloud closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind, asking them for their guidance and hoping against hope to receive an answer. For several moments, nothing happened. Then, almost too quietly to hear, a pair of feet made their way down the aisle of the church, stopping just behind him with a quiet tap. The smell of flowers wafted over him before he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he opened his eyes immediately and turned to face the one who had touched him.

Aerith smiled gently when he turned to look at her, shaking her head so that her long braid bounced from one side of her back to the other. Her eyes were soft and joyful, just as he remembered, and he had a sneaking suspicion she already knew what he was about to ask her.

"Cloud," she said by way of greeting, taking his hand and helping him to his feet. "It's been a while."

"Yeah…"

"So, what brings you here this time?"

"I…" Cloud hesitated, unsure how to phrase exactly what he was thinking. "I'm… not exactly sure… Tifa just told me she was pregnant, and –"

"Nice, man! Congratulations!" a masculine voice said loudly from somewhere behind him. Cloud whirled around to face the source of the voice, a small smile creeping onto his face when he saw Zack standing before him. The SOLDIER looked just the same as he had two years ago, and he still wore the almost perpetual smile he had been well-known for when he was alive.

"Zack. Nice to see you," Cloud said softly.

"You too, Spike! So what's going on with you lately? Other than finding out you're gonna be a dad?"

"Umm, Zack…" Aerith started, moving over to him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "I think that's what he's here to talk about…"

"Oh?" Zack asked, crossing his arms and tilting his head in apparent confusion. "What's to talk about? You need tips on congratulation gifts or something?"

"Zack, stop it," Cloud muttered irritably. "Don't act like you don't know what's going on." Zack's smile disappeared immediately, and he sighed heavily as he uncrossed his arms and shrugged.

"Well hell, what did you want me to say, Cloud?" he asked in a near-whisper. "I really don't see what's not to like about this. You love Tifa, and you love the kids. Why shouldn't you be happy about having another one? I know I'd have been overjoyed if Aerith had told me I was gonna be a dad. But, y'know… I guess looking after the orphans that hang around here counts too, huh?" Aerith shot him a reproachful look but didn't comment.

"I know, Zack," Cloud answered slowly. "And I am happy deep down. I am. But I… I wasn't expecting her to say that, and I guess I just kind of panicked. And she told me not to come back. What should I do? I really messed up this time." He put his head in his hands, and Aerith put her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug from behind.

"Cloud, it's going to be okay," she said gently. "You just need to tell Tifa what happened and ask her to forgive you. I can't promise she will at first – what you said hurt her pretty badly – but Tifa is a very understanding woman. She'll come around if you prove you really want to be a part of her and the children's lives. But Cloud, before you agree to that, really think about whether you're actually going to follow through with your promises. Tifa deserves honesty from you, and she deserves to have someone around to be there for her while she is going through this. If you can't give her that, then don't go back."

Cloud nodded, dumbstruck and surprised that Aerith could still see through him so easily. He looked up at the ceiling, his eyes wet and his fists clenched at his sides. He knew she was right; he knew what he had to do.

"Thank you," he whispered. "I'm going to go back. I need to go back." He felt two hands settle on his shoulders before they suddenly vanished into nothingness again. He saw a fleeting vision of Zack smiling in his mind's eye, and he could hear Aerith's voice speaking to him one last time as he made his way out of the church toward Fenrir.

"You made the right choice, Cloud. Congratulations, and good luck…"

Cloud smiled to himself, his heart lighter than it had been in a long time. Finally, the full realization of what Tifa had said to him came rushing in. He was going to be a father! Him, the man who had thought he would never find love or settle down with the woman he loved. He was really going to be a father! He turned the key in the ignition and twisted the throttle hard, speeding off toward Seventh Heaven as quickly as he could. He knew he was going to be in for it when he tried to make it up to her, but he was going to do it this time. He owed it to Tifa, to the children, and to this newest addition he had never realized he could be so excited and yet terrified to meet. Fenrir continued to carry him over the dark roads, almost flying as he made his way home. Just another mile – he was almost there.

He didn't see the other car swerve into the wrong lane until it was too late.


	3. Don't Leave Me

"_Where… am I? Why can't I remember? Everything hurts… I can't move... Tifa, where are you?_"

"_Cloud_…"

"_Tifa…?_"

"_Cloud… Open your eyes, please… You have to wake up, please…_"

"_Tifa… I… I'll try…_"

* * *

Tifa was almost numb as she sat at Cloud's bedside in the ICU, holding his hand and speaking to him over the noise of the machines keeping him alive. When the hospital had called to tell her he had been in an accident, she had immediately called a cab and sent Barret a text to let him know what had happened. He said he was on his way, but it would take a few hours to get there from Corel; Tifa just hoped he would make it in time for the children to say goodbye. The car that had crashed into Cloud had been going eighty miles an hour in the wrong lane, and it had hit him head-on; Fenrir had been going seventy-five. The paramedics had already had to restart his heart twice, and most of the bones in his body had been fractured. His spine had been broken dead-center; if he survived, he would never walk again. The doctor who had met her on her way in told her it was unlikely he would wake up at all, and that she had best say her goodbyes now. She had had to struggle not to punch him then and there for telling her that.

She almost didn't notice when Cloud's swollen eyes opened ever so slightly. Her heart leapt into her throat as she saw him looking around, searching for something, before allowing his gaze to settle on her with a look of confusion on his badly bloodied face. Choking back a sob, she held Cloud's hand tighter and kissed his cheek, waiting to see if he was conscious enough to notice. He seemed to be, and after a moment he managed to find his voice, which was now a mere ghost of the soft, smooth tone she had loved for so long.

"Tifa…" he rasped, wheezing now with every breath he took. "What… happened?"

"You were in an accident, Cloud," she answered carefully, fighting to keep her voice calm and steady. "Another car swerved into your lane and hit you head-on. It got you pretty badly." Cloud sighed, closing his eyes as a wave of pain surged through him. He could feel blood bubbling up in the back of his throat; it was making it hard to breathe. "I called Barret; he's bringing Denzel and Marlene back to see you."

"You're… okay, though?" Cloud whispered, looking at Tifa with a hint of fear glimmering in his eyes. Tifa nodded, a few tears sliding down her cheeks as she rubbed her thumb over the back of Cloud's hand. "That's good…" he said with a tired smile. "Better me than you… Have to protect… the little one…"

"What?" Tifa asked, shocked to hear him mention the baby.

"Tifa, I'm –" He stopped as he suddenly choked on the frothy blood in the back of his throat, coughing and gasping for breath. Tifa gently turned his head to the side so it could run out of his mouth, and after a minute or two he was able to catch his breath and speak again. "I'm sorry… for how I acted before. I'm really happy… that you're going to have a baby." She was surprised to see a few tears fall from his bright blue eyes, blending with the blood on his cheeks until they dripped down onto the sheets and stained them red.

"Oh, Cloud, it's okay…" she said gently, brushing a piece of his blond hair back behind his ear. Cloud shook his head slightly, a quiet sob sneaking past his lips.

"No, it isn't…" he whispered, more tears falling from his eyes. "I hurt you… so badly… And I don't think I'll… get to make it up… to you…"

"What… Don't say things like that, Cloud! You're going to be fine!" Cloud shook his head slowly, his eyes closing again in pain.

"I'm dying… Tifa… I can feel it…" His hand tightened around hers as she began to cry in earnest.

"Cloud, don't say that!" she whispered, leaning over and laying her head beside his. "I need you; I can't do this without you!" Cloud smiled sadly, turning his head and touching his chapped, blood-soaked lips to Tifa's soft, full pink ones.

"I'm sorry I didn't… stay around for you more… Maybe if I would have listened to you, this wouldn't… have happened…"

"Cloud, please, save your strength!" Tifa whispered, hearing the way his breathing was becoming even more labored as he began to gasp for each intake of air. He shook his head, a single tear trailing down his face as he looked into her eyes. While she watched, he touched his fingers to his lips and then to her still-flat belly, smiling slightly as he rested his palm against her abdomen.

"I am so happy to be your daddy, little one," he rasped. "And I'm sorry… I won't get to meet you…" His body lurched upward as he hacked up another mouthful of blood, leaving him panting and groaning in agony afterward.

"Cloud, please! I can't do this without you, I can't!" Tifa shouted, holding his hand in both of hers. He sighed and smiled as reassuringly as he could.

"You can, Tifa. You'll… manage without me… like you always… have… remember?"

"I didn't mean that, Cloud! I didn't mean to tell you not to come back! Please, don't leave me! I'm so sorry!" Cloud was staring blankly at her now, the light in his eyes nearly gone as the beeping of the heart monitor slowed to a crawl.

"Tifa… Zack and Aerith are… calling me now… Tell Denzel and… Marlene… I love them… Tell our friends… I'll miss them… I love… you… Tifa…"

His hand went limp in hers an instant before the monitor began to buzz in a single continuous tone. Tifa just stared at him for a moment, not believing this could happen. This couldn't be real, it just couldn't. She barely heard the doctor announce his time of death, barely noticed them detaching the various probes and monitors while she continued to hold his hand. Cloud wasn't supposed to be the one to go first; it was supposed to be her. She kept watching his face, waiting for him to open his eyes and smile for her again, shout at her, glare at her, anything at all. But he never did.

It wasn't until she heard the door open again and saw Barret come into the room that she finally threw back her head and screamed.

**Author's Note: UWAAAAH! *sniffle* I made myself cry writing this chapter. To everyone who loves Cloud, know that I do too and that it killed me to do this, but there is a reason for it and this story will not be so sad the entire time. So please just bear with me.**


	4. A Hero's Rest

On the day of the funeral, the skies poured rain; the Planet itself seemed to feel the bitter despair that threatened to crush the life out of all in attendance. The usually dry, dusty earth on the cliffs overlooking Midgar was reduced to a muddy, sloshing river of red dirt. In a way it was a blessing, for this had made it easier to dig through. The place they had chosen to bury Cloud's ashes had been decided unanimously – after all, it was the place where Zack had begun his final journey, and now it seemed only fitting that his living legacy be granted the same privilege.

Everyone from AVALANCHE was gathered around the cliff's edge, all dressed in black and most with tears falling unhindered from reddened, bloodshot eyes. Barret wept openly, his eyes fixed on the small hole he had dug out just in front of the only patch of flowers anywhere on the plain. Cid stared blankly at the small cloud of smoke weaving up through the air from his cigarette, the bright blue of his eyes dulled in a way no one had seen since the failed rocket launch so many years ago. Yuffie was huddled against Vincent's tall form, crying unashamedly into his chest; if one looked closely, they might even have seen a tear or two make their way down the gunman's pale face, although his expression remained stony and almost lifeless. Nanaki was curled up around Denzel and Marlene's feet, his head lying on his paws as he tried to offer some semblance of comfort to the children who had loved Cloud so.

Lastly, standing behind all the rest of them, was Tifa. Her normally vibrant chocolate-colored eyes were dull and listless, her face seeming to have aged years in the only two days that had passed since Cloud's death. Her eyes were bloodshot and red with dark bags beneath them, and her lips were cracked and bloody from being chewed on in an attempt to stop the almost endless sobs. Even her long black hair, which Cloud had often told her felt just like silk, was rough and dull, plastered to her tear-stained face by the rain.

For a long time, everyone stood in reflective silence, their attention drawn to the simple black urn that Barret held so carefully in his powerful hands. Then, with deliberate care few would credit him with at first glance, the enormous man knelt beside the tiny gravesite, placing the urn securely inside and laying a small yellow rose on top of it. A yellow rose, Aerith had once told them, was a symbol of enduring friendship that could not be broken even in death. Brushing away a few tears, he stepped back and bowed his head, waiting while the others quickly added their yellow roses to the growing bouquet and copied his position.

When Denzel and Marlene's turn came to put their flowers – magnolias, which symbolized remembrance – on top of the urn, they froze, shaking with emotion and afraid to admit to themselves that Cloud really wasn't coming back. Tifa gently settled her hands on their shoulders, urging them forward even as her own heart screamed at her to run, to be anywhere but here. Slowly, hesitantly, the children set their flowers down on top of the others', bowing their heads as if in prayer once Barret had gathered them into his arms.

Finally, it was Tifa's turn. Shaking with the effort of restraining the screaming sobs that fought to break free, she knelt down in the muddy soil, depositing a pink carnation – a symbol of true love – atop the stack of beautiful blooms. Still on her knees, she bowed her head until it brushed the ground, her fingers digging into the soil as she clenched them into shaking fists. Her next words were whispered so quietly that even Nanaki was unable to make them out over the sound of the falling rain.

"Cloud… You were… the best friend I could have ever hoped for. I pray you're happy wherever you are now, and…" She swallowed hard, biting back tears again. "I'll make sure our baby knows what a great man their father was. Maybe if I'm lucky, they'll even have some of that infamous Chocobo-hair…" A sob escaped unbidden from her lips, silencing her for a moment while she pulled herself together. "I love you Cloud… And I always will. Goodbye…" With one smooth motion, she swept the small pile of wet earth beside her over the hole, covering up the flowers and the hero resting beneath them with a soft earthen blanket.

Tifa wasn't sure how long she sat there, tears dripping freely down her face along with the freezing February rain, but eventually she felt a strong hand take hold of her arm and help her to her feet. She allowed it, too numb to care anymore, and barely registered the fact that Barret had handed her over to Yuffie and Vincent while he took the kids himself.

"Can you two take care o' Tifa tonight?" he asked worriedly, hugging the two shivering children and wiping the remaining tears from his eyes. "I think these two would be best if… Ya know, if they came with me for a little bit." Marlene hugged her father tightly, crying into his coat; while Denzel did not hug him quite as tightly, he too allowed himself to be sheltered in the big man's reassuring grip. Vincent and Yuffie nodded, and the Wutaian ninja slid her arm around Tifa's shoulders, trying to get her attention back from whatever mental realm she had drifted away to.

"Teef…" Yuffie said gently, smiling slightly when the barmaid gasped quietly and finally seemed to notice her. "I think we oughta get you home now, okay?" Tifa shook her head slowly, her gaze fixed on the patch of flowers under which her lover lay.

"Tifa," Vincent said softly, taking Tifa's hand in his and looking into her eyes with his piercing red ones. "I know you don't want to leave, but it is too cold for you to stay out here. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for the little one…" Tifa's hand instinctively drifted to her belly, held protectively over the baby that was still another seven months from entering the world. Finally, she nodded, her expression regaining a tiny bit of its usual calm strength.

"Okay…" she whispered, following Vincent toward the car while Yuffie's arm remained wrapped comfortingly around her shoulders. _"For Denzel and Marlene, and for our baby, Cloud,"_ she thought to herself, _"I will be strong. I refuse to give up."_ She turned her head up toward the darkening sky, barely noticing the way it made the rain run into her eyes and hair. _"Take care of him, you two,"_ she thought as the ghost of a smile made its way across her face. _"Goodbye… Spikey…"_


	5. A Light in the Dark

_The night air was unusually still for Edge, not stirred by even the slightest hint of a breeze. The sky was starless, but there was enough light given off by the full moon to light Tifa's path with ease. The barmaid wasn't sure when she had stepped outside of her home. In fact, she didn't remember any part of how she had gotten here. She was barely aware of where her feet were carrying her; they moved almost on their own, taking her ever farther from Seventh Heaven and toward the wastelands that surrounded the dark steel city. In what seemed like only seconds, she had reached the top of the cliff overlooking her home, and she froze when she realized where she was standing. _

_The light yellow flowers that marked Zack's – and now Cloud's – grave were still in bloom, dancing in the slight breeze that was finally blowing around her. The dirt had settled back to its original state, leaving no trace of the small hole in which his ashes rested. How could the earth have smoothed so much in only three days? The sight made Tifa's heart ache, and tears sprung to her eyes._

_"Has the Planet already forgotten you, Cloud…?" she whispered, kneeling beside the patch of flowers and letting her fingertips ghost lightly across the dusty soil. A few tears dripped down her cheeks, darkening the soil when they fell between her fingers. "Is everything we know going to be reduced to dust like this someday?"_

_As soon as the words left her mouth, the wind grew in strength, churning up the dust and whipping her hair around her face as it howled its sad song. A cloud of soil rose up around her, obscuring the gravesite and swirling fiercely until it materialized into an almost human shape. Tifa's heart began to race when she recognized the unmistakable spikes of hair on the dusty silhouette._

_"C… Cloud…?"_

_The shape did not move at first, and she felt very foolish for daring to hope it was him. But a moment later it extended a translucent hand toward her, and a quiet, achingly familiar voice echoed through the air around her._

_"Tifa…"_

_"Cloud! It _is_ you!" Tifa cried, fresh tears streaming down her face. "But how are you here? I was there when you… I mean…"_

_"Yeah, I know. I'm a part of the Lifestream now," Cloud whispered sorrowfully. "And I don't have much time to talk. Zack and Aerith are helping me speak to you, but even in a dream it's really difficult to do. I just wanted to tell you I'm alright. Everything's alright, and I know you're gonna be okay."_

_"How do you know that, Cloud?" Tifa asked softly, reaching for his hand and feeling her heart sink when her fingers passed through it. "What am I supposed to do without you?"_

_"Don't sell yourself short, Tifa," Cloud said gently. Even though the dusty apparition had no real face, she got the sense that he was smiling. "You're the strongest woman I've ever met. You've always been the one who holds us all together when we feel like giving up, and I know you'll be alright now. I'll always be watching over you, even if you can't see me there." The wind continued to blow fiercely, making the already faint outline of Cloud's silhouette start to dissolve. "Tifa, listen," Cloud said urgently, raising his hands to cup her cheeks. She couldn't feel him touching her, but she could sense his presence there. "Promise me you'll let yourself move on, okay? Promise me you won't hold yourself back in the past like I did. Nothing good will ever come from doing that." Tifa nodded, leaning into Cloud's hands and pretending for a moment that she could still feel them on her cheek._

_"I promise... I promise, Cloud." A single tear rolled down her cheek, disappearing between her lips as she bit them in an attempt to stifle a sob. "Do you really have to go now?"_

_"Yeah. I'm sorry, but I can't keep this up much longer. I love you, Tifa. I'll always love you. Goodbye, Tifa…" His words had been growing gradually softer, but now they had faded away completely. The wind immediately returned to only a slight breeze, and the dust settled back onto the ground as if nothing had ever happened. She could feel herself beginning to drift toward waking; the world around her was growing faint and blurry. Before she woke completely, she turned her attention to the moonlit sky and spoke to him one last time, hoping he would hear._

_"I love you too, Cloud. Goodbye…"_

* * *

When Tifa opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was that it was still dark outside her window. When her blurred eyes had finally cleared enough to read the digital clock beside the bed, she realized it was only a little after one in the morning. She sighed, sitting up in bed and laying her face in her hands. How in the world was she supposed to sleep after a dream like that? Everything had felt so real…

She suddenly heard a soft knock on the bedroom door, and her head snapped up toward the source of the sound as she tried to puzzle out who it was.

"Come in," she said softly. The door opened almost silently, allowing a small sliver of light to come in from the hallway and revealing the figures of two children standing in the doorway. Tifa's expression softened immediately, and she stood up and ushered Denzel and Marlene in, guiding them to sit down on the edge of her bed while she did the same.

"Tifa…?" Marlene asked hesitantly, seeming almost afraid.

"What is it, sweetie? Can't you sleep?"

"Well…" Denzel answered instead. "We were both asleep, but then…"

"Then?" Tifa echoed, encouraging him to continue.

"You won't believe me if I tell you. It's too weird," he said, looking down at his hands.

"Sure I will, Denzel. What's the matter?"

"Tifa… Did you have a dream that Cloud came to visit you?" Tifa's breath caught in her chest, her heart beginning to race as she realized what he was implying.

"Yes," she answered carefully, trying not to let them see how shocked she was. "Marlene, did you dream about him, too?"

"Yeah…" Marlene whispered. "I dreamed I was at the… the grave, and some of the dust turned into Cloud, except he was kind of see-through. And then he told me not to worry, and that everything would be okay. He said he was okay." Tears were beginning to run down Marlene's face, and Denzel looked like he might soon join her. "D-Denzel had the s-same dream, and… We just thought maybe if you did too, i-it… Might've been real…" Tifa sat frozen in shock for a moment, not sure what to make of all this. A moment later, she leaned forward and wrapped both children in her arms, pulling them to her while they cried against her.

"Tifa… I really miss him…" Denzel said softly, snuggling against Tifa's arm and sniffling while she laid them down and covered all three of them up with the soft down comforter.

"I do too, Denzel," she said softly, stroking his hair with one arm and rubbing Marlene's back with the other. "But now I know he really is okay. He's happy, and he'd want us to be happy too."

"But… I'm so sad right now. How am I supposed to be happy?" Marlene asked, yawning in spite of herself when Tifa continued to rub her back so soothingly.

"Just give yourself some time, Marlene. It's okay to be sad now. We'll probably always miss him, but we'll be able to be happy again after a while, just like we've done before." She suddenly tensed, sniffing the air carefully to be sure she wasn't imagining things. "Denzel, Marlene," she said quietly. "What do you smell in the air right now? Anything?" They looked at her strangely at first but sniffed the air too, and their eyes widened immediately.

"It smells like Cloud's cologne…" Denzel whispered, sniffing the air again to be sure.

"But no one could've sprayed it," said Marlene. "No one's here but us." Cloud had worn that scent since he was twelve years old; Tifa had bought him some for one of his birthdays when he still lived in Nibelheim, and he had always kept some around after that. She breathed as deeply as she could, letting the scent calm her and bring back memories of all the happier times she had spent with Cloud. Almost instantly, she felt a sense of peace wash over her, and she breathed easy for the first time in a very long time.

"Everything's going to be okay now, isn't it, Cloud?" Tifa asked softly. Denzel and Marlene snuggled closer to her and nuzzled into the pillow; before long they had drifted off, lulled to sleep by the warmth and security they always felt when they were with her. And as the barmaid finally succumbed to drowsiness herself, clutching Denzel and Marlene to her like a lifeline, the three of them began making their first steps toward recovery.


	6. Long Time, No See

It wasn't like Tifa to sleep in late. She had always been an early riser, ever since she and Cloud were children. It had annoyed the blond to no end for years, especially when they had been travelling together in their search for Sephiroth. He had _never_ been a morning person, and he could barely stand the way Tifa flitted around the camp every morning, tidying up things that didn't need tidying – how clean could you really get a _forest_ anyway? – and trying to spread her cheerful energy to everyone even if they wanted no part of it. Aerith and Yuffie had often joined her in her efforts at bringing some sunshine into everyone's morning, which only made it worse. Barret and Cid could usually be persuaded to wake up with a fresh cup of coffee – and a cigarette or ten, in Cid's case. Cloud and Vincent, however, almost always ended up hiding as far away from the Happy Sunshine Girls as they could, trying to wake up on their own and avoid the terribly bright light. Tifa had always scolded them for it, not understanding how someone could stand to sleep until noon.

"_You've already wasted half your day sleeping by then!_" she used to say. Cloud and Vincent had simply glared at her, shading their eyes from the sunlight that always threatened to give them headaches first thing in the morning. "_Fine, then, stay here if you want,_" she would say with a sigh and a lighthearted smile."_Just don't whine at me when we leave you behind._"

Today, though, it was already ten-thirty and Tifa had only opened her eyes a few seconds ago. She stared blearily at the clock, willing her eyes to adjust so she could read the numbers, and sighed. She _hated_ sleeping in, but lately she had been so exhausted every morning that she just couldn't force herself out of bed like she used to. She had tried to for about a week and finally given up when she had just started falling asleep behind the bar instead.

Tifa was three and a half months along now, and although she wasn't exactly showing yet, her waistline had begun to thicken slightly, and she could feel the slightest swell under her fingers when she touched her belly. She knew it was normal for some women to feel tired all the time in their first trimester, too, but she hated the way it made her feel like she wasn't getting anything done. All in all, though, Tifa was in much better shape than she had been a month and a half ago. Though she and the children still missed Cloud terribly, she had taken his advice and tried to move on, looking for the bright side any way she could. There were still times when she would wake up with tears in her eyes, always from some dream she couldn't remember; during those times, she usually ended up sitting at the bar until morning, unable to stay in the bed she and Cloud used to share when she knew his side would stay empty and cold. By the time the sun rose, though, so did her mood. It wasn't in her nature to be depressed for long; she just couldn't function that way.

Yuffie had been coming to help her work the bar almost every night since Cloud's funeral while Vincent minded the children, seeing as the late hours of the night were when her so-called "morning sickness" usually struck. It wasn't constant and it wasn't as bad as she had feared it would be when it began in her first month, but it was sometimes still enough to make working through her entire shift seem as daunting as a battle with a Behemoth. The last few days had been terrible, and before she got up this morning she reached for the packet of saltine crackers she had started keeping on the nightstand, eating a few of them before popping a peppermint into her mouth and slowly easing herself out of the bed. Her stomach held steady and she breathed a sigh of relief, heading out of her room to make sure the children were out of bed, too.

She couldn't find Denzel or Marlene in their rooms, so she went downstairs to see if they might be there. The entire place was oddly quiet; the bar was still closed, and the only sound she heard anywhere was the slow clomping of her feet on the polished wooden floor. This worried her a little. Denzel and Marlene might be better-behaved than most children, but they still made at least a little noise when they were around. She entered the kitchen, sighing when she was again greeted with emptiness.

"Denzel? Marlene?" she said softly. "Yuffie? Vincent?" she called again when she received no answer. Silence was all that met her ears. "Where _is_ everyone?" She picked up her cell phone from the counter and was about to call Yuffie when she noticed a small note taped to the refrigerator, almost invisible among the many photos and papers Tifa had hung up on the doors over the years. She pulled it from the door, noticing that it was written in Vincent's perfectly-straight cursive, and began to read.

_Tifa, I have taken Denzel and Marlene to the park for the afternoon,_

_and perhaps for some ice cream afterward. We should be back before dinner._

_~Vincent_

Tifa smiled, looking over the beautiful penmanship with a sense of awe. How he managed to have better handwriting than most women despite not being born right-handed, she would never know. Much relieved to know where the children were – and probably Yuffie, as well – she decided to have a little breakfast, looking through the refrigerator for something that actually looked appetizing. That was another thing about being pregnant she hadn't expected: the cravings and aversions to certain foods that seemed to change at random, sometimes within the span of only a day or two. She had started buying several different types of foods just to be safe, and although her cravings weren't too strange, she was really looking forward to the day when she would be able to look at a pickle again without feeling nauseous.

Deciding that toast with peanut butter and jelly on it sounded good, she got the toaster out of the cabinet and plugged it in, noticing to her dismay that the thought of breakfast was already making her want to drool. How could she suddenly be so hungry when only minutes ago she had felt sick? She chalked it up to yet another part of pregnancy that made no sense and soon forgot all about it, lost in the wonderful taste of the sweet spreads that reminded her just why she had wanted them in the first place. Once she had finished and forced herself not to lick the plate clean, she placed the dish in the sink to wash later. She was suddenly feeling a little restless, and the idea of going out to get some sun and fresh air was very appealing.

"Hmm…" she muttered to herself, looking at the edge of the table where Vincent's note sat. An idea slowly crept into her mind, and she walked back upstairs, headed toward her closet to find some suitable clothes for early May. "The park… Not a bad idea."

* * *

A short time later, Tifa reached the entrance to the recently-opened park on the west side of Edge. It was a welcome change from the unbroken stretch of gray steel that made up the rest of the city, which Reeve had intended when he had had it built. There were trees and shrubs of all kinds planted everywhere, lining the cobblestone path that cut through the grassy expanse of the park so patrons could walk easily from one place to another. The entire park, despite almost always being full of people, was nonetheless very quiet and peaceful, and it brought a touch of nature to a city that had been deprived of it for far too long.

The brunette found Vincent, Yuffie, and the children soon after she arrived. The gunman was busy entertaining Marlene, lifting her up to sit on his bony shoulders so she could reach a bright pink flower in the branches of a tall tree. Once she had picked it and woven it into Vincent's dark hair, he gently set her down, letting her hide under his cloak when Denzel, who was currently seeking her out in their game of hide-and-seek, walked by. Tifa smiled in amusement, watching the way Vincent interacted with the little girl. He was slowly but surely coming out of his shell, and it turned out he was quite an attentive guardian. The children loved him, and he had come to be very fond of them, as well, which had surprised him as well as Tifa.

When he caught sight of her, Vincent blushed a little, embarrassed to be caught with a large pink flower in his hair. He approached her immediately, though, Marlene at his heels like a puppy, and lowered the collar of his cloak a little so he could speak a little more clearly.

"Hello, Tifa," he said softly, looking a bit surprised to see her. "Did you see the note I left for you?" Tifa nodded, smiling and resisting the urge to tease him about his pretty writing; he didn't need another blow to his manhood on top of the enormous flower that made his face look even more feminine than usual. "Good. Did you need something from us, then? Should we return home?"

"No, no," Tifa said, shaking her head quickly. "I just thought I could use a little fresh air myself. I haven't been here much since this place opened, after all." Vincent nodded, understanding what she really meant without having to hear it aloud: "_I haven't been here since the last time I came with Cloud._"

"Well," he continued in his usual deep growl when Marlene reappeared from beneath his cloak. "Yuffie and I were actually about to take Denzel and Marlene to get ice cream. Would you like to come along?"

"No, but thank you, Vincent," Tifa said with a slow shake of her head. "I think I'll just stay here and people-watch for a while." The gunman nodded, smiling almost imperceptibly when Marlene slipped her small hand around his brass one, completely unafraid of the unnatural appendage.

"Call if you change your mind, and we'll meet you somewhere."

"I will."

"Bye, Tifa!" Marlene called over her shoulder, having to jog a little to keep up with Vincent's long strides and still keep a grip on his hand.

"Have fun, Marlene!" Tifa shouted back, watching Yuffie and Denzel join up with them and laughing when the shinobi pulled the flower out of a now crimson-faced Vincent's hair and kissed his cheek. Before long, they were out of sight, and Tifa was left alone to enjoy the warmth of the bright springtime scenery. There was a slight breeze blowing now, just enough to toss a few strands of hair around her face and cool her sun-warmed cheeks. The leaves rustled softly in the trees, tossing flower petals into the breeze as it passed through them. Small birds hopped along the ground, chirping amongst themselves and fighting for the best worm-catching spots, and every so often a squirrel would chatter from one of the trees, berating the birds for getting in its way.

Tifa was soon nodding off, her eyelids drooping as she leaned back against the bench and listened to the soft sounds around her. She was so relaxed that she almost didn't notice the sound of wood creaking when someone sat down beside her on the bench. Blinking sleepily, she turned her head to see who it was and almost fell off the seat when she saw that it was Rude. He caught her arm gently, keeping her from sliding off the edge, and frowned slightly when she placed a hand over her racing heart and sighed deeply.

"Sorry," he said almost tonelessly. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, no, it wasn't you," Tifa said when she had managed to calm herself. "I was so sleepy I wasn't really paying attention. Thanks for catching me, though." He nodded and grunted quietly, his usual way of acknowledging thanks. For a few minutes, neither of them said anything. Tifa couldn't tell where the bald man was looking thanks to his sunglasses, but she assumed he was watching some of the children playing since his head was turned that way. After a while, though, her curiosity got the best of her and she decided to break the awkward silence.

"So, Rude," she began, glad to see he turned to look at her face. "What brings you here today?"

"Nothing important," he said quietly, pushing his glasses a little further up his nose with one finger. Tifa was puzzled by the way he suddenly sounded a little sad. "Today just felt like a good day to come, I guess."

"Yeah, I thought so, too," she said, deciding not to question his subtle change of demeanor. It would have been a pointless effort anyway; if a Turk didn't decide to tell you something on his own, you weren't going to get it out of him. "I haven't seen you or Reno around the bar lately," she said in an attempt to change the subject.

"Yeah, I know. We've been pretty busy lately. It's been weeks since we've been to a bar; Reno's about to lose it." Tifa chuckled, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well, why don't you two come by the next chance you get? I'll give you a few drinks on the house." Rude smiled a little.

"Thanks. We'll do that." He fell silent again for a moment, this time seeming to be deciding whether or not he should say whatever he was thinking. Finally, he spoke again, his voice soft and hesitant. "Tifa…?"

"Hmm?" she asked with a poorly-disguised yawn. The air out here was just so relaxing.

"Are you… Uh… Doing okay?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, after Cloud… after you lost him," he said, trying to avoid mentioning the word "death" directly and hating the fact that he was hesitating so much. "I heard that you… well…"

"That I'm pregnant?" she finished for him. He nodded, and she sighed tiredly. "Yeah, well, that's true." Rude's eyebrows rose slightly, but he didn't comment. "Three and a half months, now. I'm okay, though. I've got Yuffie and Vincent looking out for me all the time now. And Denzel and Marlene help me as much as they can, too."

"Good," Rude said softly. "We were all kind of worried about you, but we were out on a mission when you held the funeral, so we couldn't come then…" He noticed Tifa wince slightly when he mentioned the funeral, but she didn't react visibly otherwise. "I'm sorry we couldn't be there. And we really should have come and talked to you sooner."

"It's okay," Tifa said softly, feeling tears threaten to well up in her eyes and mentally cursing her unruly hormones. "He would understand. I'm glad you were thinking of me, anyway." She stood and stretched, then, letting the wind blow around her and put her mind a little more at ease. "Well, I've got to get going, I think. Someone has to fix dinner, after all, and Yuffie's no good in the kitchen." Rude nodded, not wanting her to leave yet but not willing to ask her to stay. "And I'm serious about those free drinks, so bring Reno and come in when you get the chance."

"Will do. Nice seeing you again, Tifa."

"It was nice seeing you too, Rude." With that, Tifa walked off toward the entrance of the park, leaving Rude to watch her depart out of the corner of his eye. By the time she reached home she would have all but forgotten their encounter. Rude, however, wouldn't be able to get her off of his mind for a long time to come.

**Author's Note: Whew! Long chapter is long. Please leave a review and tell me what you think of this so far. I don't want to rush into the relationship between Rude and Tifa, so for now it's completely one-sided. I'll try to keep updating fairly frequently and keep the plot interesting, so please look forward to that.**


	7. Another Day at the Office

**Author's Note: Hello, all! I am so very sorry for waiting so long between updates! This story is not dead, I promise. It should start getting a little more interesting now, too. I hope you enjoy this new chapter.**

* * *

For the next few weeks, Tifa was kept almost constantly busy doing one thing or another with the bar. Business had really picked up now that the weather was nice and people were willing to come outside more often, and she and Yuffie were always exhausted by the end of the night's shift. Yuffie did most of the stocking and cleaning, insisting that Tifa shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting, and Tifa decided to let her rather than arguing about it. Yuffie and Vincent were a great help, and Tifa felt a little guilty at times for not being able to work as hard as she used to. Even the "light" nights at the bar were busier than usual, and she was almost always too exhausted by the end to be of much help to Yuffie. She wasn't about to complain, though. More customers meant more profit, and the gods only knew how much their expenditures would increase once the baby was born.

At a little over four months, Tifa was just barely showing, a slight curve of her abdomen that would have been hard to see if one wasn't looking for it. Even so, she had stopped wearing her usual midriff-baring shirt and skirt, choosing instead to wear dresses or pants with slightly loose shirts. She thought she might be jumping the gun a little, since at this point she still only looked as if she had gained a little weight, but it didn't hurt to get used to the new wardrobe before she was forced to. And she also knew a change in wardrobe was one of the least important things she had to worry about during the course of her pregnancy; the difficult parts wouldn't come for quite a while yet.

For a time, she had been worried that Denzel and Marlene would resent her being pregnant or feel they were going to be replaced, but the two of them were already very excited, eagerly awaiting the day when they could meet their new sibling. Denzel especially seemed to be excited about being a big brother. Although Marlene was his junior, she had been like an older sister to him until he settled in here, being much more mature than her age would suggest; now he was finally getting the chance to return the favor. He went with Tifa to every ultrasound, asking the doctors questions the entire time in an effort to learn as much as he could about babies. It was very heartwarming to watch.

Tifa was thinking about what kind of brother Denzel would be when her first customer of the night walked into the bar. Yuffie was still in the back getting some bottles out of the storeroom, so Tifa came up to the counter, smiling warmly as the man approached her.

"Welcome to Seventh Heaven, sir," she said cheerily. "What can I get you tonight?" The man was silent for a moment, removing his dark glasses and slipping them into the pocket of his coat before he addressed her. Something immediately seemed off about him to Tifa. Why was he wearing a coat in June? It wasn't cold in the bar or outside, so there was no need for one. She kept her smile firmly on her face while she waited for him to answer, listening for Yuffie to come up to the bar so she could ask her what she thought.

"I think I'll have a Midgar Zolom…" the man said in almost a whisper. Tifa shuddered at the sound of his voice; something about it was unnerving, giving her the same feeling she got when hearing a snake hiss.

"Coming right up," she said calmly, turning around to begin mixing the drink. A second later, she flinched and gasped as she felt a hand press itself against the flesh of her buttock and begin trying to run down her thigh. She whirled around, slapping the man's hand away and glaring furiously at him. "Excuse me sir, but that is completely unacceptable. We're not that kind of establishment here. Now I think it's about time you left." The man glared at her, wrinkling a large scar that ran from his left eye to his lip when he snarled at her.

"You think so, you little bitch?" he growled, his brown eyes flashing with malice. Before Tifa could make a move, he had pulled a pistol out of the pocket of his coat, aiming it at her head. Her expression remained unchanged as she forced herself not to flinch, staring the man down coldly as he did the same. "I've been waiting for years to get my hands on a pretty little thing like you, you know. Ever since I saw you in Sector Six with those other two little sluts." Tifa inwardly groaned; _that_ was why he remembered her? Greeeeat.

"So you're with Don Corneo, then?" she asked calmly, despite the fact that she wanted nothing more than to punch him through the wall.

"I was, yeah, but I'm flyin' solo now, Toots. And you and me are gonna go for a little ride, or that little, heheh, "parasite" of yours is a goner. Ya catch my drift?" Tifa's face paled as he casually flicked the gun toward her abdomen, tightening his finger threateningly on the trigger.

"Okay, okay," she said quickly, holding her hands up in what she hoped was a pacifying gesture. "I'll go with you. Just don't hurt my baby."

"I knew you'd see it my way, my little Honey-Bee…" the man said sweetly, brushing a lock of greasy, shoulder-length brown hair over his shoulder. "Come on, then, and I'll take you to my _private quarters_. What do you say?" Tifa fought the urge to gag.

"If you say so."

"Aww, now don't be that way. Can't you be a little sweeter toward someone who appreciates your beauty so much?" He angled the gun toward her stomach again, and she immediately forced her face into what she hoped was a cheerful smile.

"Forgive me. It's just been a while since I've had an admirer as… _handsome_ as you are. I almost didn't know how to react."

"That's better."

Tifa clenched her teeth when he smiled and turned around again, taking her hand and leading her toward the front door. "_Any time now, Yuffie…_" she thought worriedly, hoping the shinobi would somehow sense her distress and come out to the front. To her dismay, no help was forthcoming, and they had almost reached the front door, the gun still trained on her as the man pulled her forward. Just before they got outside, though, the door swung open and two men walked inside, one with long, unruly red hair and the other a bald man with dark glasses and a goatee. "_Oh, praise the gods._"

"Hiya, Tifa," Reno said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders and wrinkling his already rumpled black suit jacket further. "Who's this? Friend of yours?" He smirked for an instant before whipping his mag-rod out of his sleeve and jabbing it into the man's chest, shocking him with enough electricity to leave him screaming and writhing on the floor in an instant. "Thought so." He knelt down on the floor, tossing the gun out of the way and pulling the stranger up by his filthy hair.

"See, here's the thing," Reno continued as if this entire situation was perfectly normal – which, for him, it probably was. "It's been _way_ too damn long since I've had a drink here, and I really don't appreciate you harassing the woman who's supposed to be makin' the drinks I love. So why don't you and I just go have a little _chat_, shall we? You can tell me _all about_ what a babe Tifa is then." The man struggled uselessly, still paralyzed by the shock from the mag-rod, as Reno dragged him toward the back room of the bar. "Hey, Teef, you mind if we borrow this back room for a minute?"

"Sure, it's all yours," she said with a genuine smile that was not entirely free of malice.

"We'll tell you what we find out," Rude said softly, following his partner into the back and locking the door behind them. As Tifa prepared their usual drinks – vodka on the rocks and a Bloody Mary – she heard a scream from behind the locked door. She shook her head slowly, rolling her eyes and continuing with her work.

"Just another day at the office, I guess. I _really_ need a different job."


End file.
